17th ISSBD African Regional Workshop

About the workshop

The International Society for Studying Behavioural Development (ISSBD) is inviting applications for a hybrid workshop for early career academics from Thursday April 15^th to Saturday 17^th 2027 at the University of Ghana. The workshop is organised in cooperation with the Department of Youth Research, Friedrich Schiller University, Jena and the Department of Family and Consumer Sciences, University of Ghana. The workshop will take place in Accra, Ghana and aims to consolidate ongoing studies on Adolescence and Positive Youth Development (PYD) in the African context, guide future research directions and mentor the next generation of PYD researchers within the African context.

The workshop aims to:

• Provide young emerging scholars from Africa and beyond the opportunity to share their research work on positive youth development and receive vital feedback
• Network with key and renowned researchers in the field and establish collaborative ties
• Acquire academia-specific career knowledge on diverse themes through lively participative and interactive sessions with established scholars in the field. 

Thematic Areas

• Foundations of Positive Youth Development: Strengths, Resilience, and Prevention
• Equity and Well-being in Changing Youth Contexts
• Advancing Evidence: Measurement, Evaluation, and Innovation
• From Evidence to Impact: Translating Research into Policy and Practice
• Artificial Intelligence (AI) for Research, Teaching, and Academic Productivity
• Grant Writing, Research Funding, and Career Development
• Science Communication, Personal Branding, and Research Visibility

Workshop Participation Grants

Doctoral students, postdoctoral fellows and early-career researchers involved in research around the field of positive youth development in universities across Africa and beyond are invited to apply. We welcome abstract submissions that engage with research, policy, and practice, and that reflect innovative, inclusive, and contextually grounded approaches to youth development. Participants will have the opportunity to present their research posters and receive valuable feedback. There is a limited amount of support available for international travel (economy class flight). Participants’ local transport expenses, meals and accommodation during the workshop will be covered.

Eligibility

• Applicants must be early-career researchers, doctoral students or postdoctoral fellows
• Must be involved in research on positive youth development 
• Participants from Africa or of African descent are encouraged to apply 

How to Apply

Applicants must submit an application by clicking here and filling in their details. In addition, the following documents must be uploaded with the application:

1. Cover letter stating motivation for participation (max. 500 words). Should include:
   1. Why do you want to attend this workshop?
   2. How does your work connect to Positive Youth Development?
   3. What do you hope to gain from the workshop?
   4. Indicate either in-person or online workshop attendance
2. Abstract (not more than 300 words) on current research for poster presentation
   1. Format:
      1. Background / Rationale
      2. Methods / Approach
      3. Key Findings (or expected outcomes)
      4. Implications
3. Curriculum Vitae (max. 2 pages)

All documents must be assembled into a single PDF (Cover letter + Abstract + CV). The PDF document must be named using this format: Applicant’s first initial + Applicant’s last name + “ISSBD”. E.g.: JBrown_ISSBD

Applications that do not comply with these formal criteria will be excluded. The scientific committee will select a group of 60 to 80 participants (at least 40 in person and the rest online). The workshop will take place at the University of Ghana and will be conducted in English.

Important dates 

• Application Deadline: October 15^th, 2026
• Notification of Acceptance: December 2026
• Workshop dates: 15^th to 17^th April 2027

Advisory / Organizing team:

• Dr. Sheriffa Mahama (University of Ghana, Legon)
• Dr. David Kwame Kumador (University of Ghana, Legon)
• Prof. Dr. Karina Weichold (Friedrich Schiller University of Jena, Germany)